Maori tattoo culture and customs

There is a group living in the Pacific island countries in the southern hemisphere: they belong to a mixed type of Mongolian and Australia, and have the characteristics of both Eastern and Western people: they are large, brave and strong, have black hair and brown skin, thick lips and short noses; most of them are simple and honest, believe in multi-gods, and worship leaders. Their nose-touching ceremonies and tattoos are well known. Yes, it is the Maori. The Maori are a tribal people, and their tribe is called the Iwi (iw: ).

This nation has a long history and culture of tattoos. According to archaeological evidence, Maori tattoos have a history of more than a thousand years and are the "originator of tattoos" of indigenous people around the world. Perhaps this tattoo is not as gorgeous and changeable as contemporary tattoos, but as one of the oldest techniques and cultures, it still shines brightly in human history.

The Maori call tattoos Ta Moko. The original tattoos can be roughly divided into three types: scar tattoos, burn tattoos, and tattoo tattoos. The Maori often use tattoos to represent the symbol of the tribe. The more tattoos there are on their bodies, the more noble their status. The Maori attach great importance to manual tattoo carpenters and craftsmen, who usually come from a higher class and are supported by the ethnic group.

This traditional tattoo is different from ordinary tattoos-not made with a needle, but with various uhi or chisels made of albatross bone to carve patterns on the skin. The body pattern is made of awheto (Cordyceps sinensis), while the black facial tattoo uses ngarrehu (charcoal ash) as the pigment. The ash burned with kauri resin is mixed with oil and stored in gorgeous vessels called okos. When not in use, it is usually buried underground and passed down from generation to generation.

But this will leave dents on the skin and lose the smooth surface. In the late 19th century, when the needle replaced uhi as the main tool for tattooing, the traditional moko changed. Using a needle as a tattoo tool is faster and safer, but the skin surface will no longer leave marks, only smooth flat lines.

Men's moko is usually tattooed on the face, buttocks (raperape) and thighs (puhoro), while women's moko is usually tattooed on their lips (ngutu) and chin (kauae), and is said to prevent wrinkled skin and keep young. Most Maori women believe that all-blue lips are a "symbol of female beauty", and this custom remained until the 1980s. Moko is sometimes tattooed on other parts of the body, including the forehead, neck, back, stomach and calves.

The early Maori people had difficulty distinguishing their identities and ranks because of their simple clothes and only linen fabric covering their bodies. Tattoos are a clever way they come up with to identify themselves. The content, number and color of totem patterns have also become important symbols to determine their identity.

Maori regard the head as the most important part of the body, and the exquisite patterns on the face indicate their noble status. Tattoo totem symbolizes differences in personal origin, class, and power.

Therefore, highly respected chiefs and soldiers must have comprehensive tattoos. The more powerful the chief, the more tattoos he has on his face. The left face represents the patrilineal ancestor, and the right face represents the matrilineal ancestor (but not all tribes are the same), so if you look carefully, you will find that every Maori tattoo pattern has its own characteristics. Totems are stories written on the face, which not only symbolize the sacred identity of the tattooed person, but also show the history of his tribe and family.

Under European rule, the Maori had lost their ancestral land; they foresaw that they would one day lose everything, so they always wanted to redeem their spiritual spirituality through unique tattoos. Therefore, if ordinary non-Maori people unknowingly tattoo the totem of a certain Maori tribe, it will be tantamount to violating the Maori identity and private rights, and also touching the pain deep in their hearts.